Lighter for blind persons



Jan. 7, 1958 v J. R. POLACK 2,818,715

LIGHTER FOR BLIND PERSONS Filed Aug. 6, 1952 JUAN R POL/46K ATTORNEYINVENTOR riaen'rnn-noknnmrnn'sons rJuan' R. Polack, New York, ofone-fourth to Lucio Landerer, Washington, D. C.

, Application August 6, 1 952, Serial No. 302,313 112mm. -(CL564-e7d)This invention is directed to the provision of a cigarette lighter whichmay be easily and safely used by blind persons.

Heretofore when a blind person has used a conventional cigarettelighter, there has been a tendency for the blind user to injure himselfdue to burning of the fingers. There is also a disadvantage for blindpersons when using conventional cigarette lighters because it is notalways possible to adjust the flame to the exact point desired, namely,the end of the cigarette. It is an object of this invention to overcomeboth disadvantages.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ringlike attachmentwhich may be directly secured by bolts, screws, rivets, or welding to acigarette lighter casing or any part of a cigarette lighter immediatelyadjacent the flame of the lighter.

It is another object of the invention to provide a ringlike memberadapted to receive the end of a cigarette and to position the sameimmediately adjacent the flame of the lighter.

A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment having aring-like member for the reception of the end of a cigarette, thisattachment being removably connected to a cigarette lighter.

A further specific object of the invention is to provide a ring-likemember adapted to receive the end of the cigarette and in turn beingsecured or integral with a strap-like member which may be detachablysecured to a cigarette lighter.

A further and more detailed object is to provide a straplike member asdescribed above having a tongue at one end and a slot at the other endthereof so that the tongue may be received in the slot and reverselybent upon itself so as to maintain the same firmly in place on thecigarette lighter casing.

Another detailed object of the invention is to provide a strap-likemember of the nature described above having end flanges provided withone or more holes for the reception of securing means such as bolts orthe like.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent as thedescription proceeds, reference being made to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of the present disclosure, wherein: p

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of one form of an attachment for holding acigarette.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a modified form of an attachment.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the attachment shown in Fig. l andsecured in place upon a cigarette lighter.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of Fig.4.

Fig. '6 is a front elevation of the modification shown in Fig. 3 wheninstalled upon a lighter.

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of another modification showing the samesecured in place upon a cigarette lighter.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly 2,818,715 PatentedJan. 5 1958 {Liitiivill b-e.'seen thatthecigarette holding means eting-membe iA 'isrsh'own in .attacheds dsi'ti onfin g.4.whel'e*.th'e'""lighter"is equipped withea sniifle actuatedbyihemrmwrmembees. .thapress pusheddownwaililyj the 'lever'ri'sesarid"theflaine is positioned centrally of the bevelled opening 2. In usethe blind person can very easily insert the end of the cigarette intothe annular space since the bevelled surface 2 has a diameter whichvaries from slightly larger than that of the cigarette to a little lessthan the diameter of such a cigarette. The blind person can easily pushthe cigarette in place, then lift the lighter so as to receive thecigarette between his lips, and then push the actuating lever or pressermember 8. When the user inhales, the cigarette is ignited, and thelighter may be easily withdrawn.

Another form of an attachment is shown in Fig. 3 wherein the cigaretteholding means B comprises a ring member 11 having an outwardly flaringsurface 12. The ring member is provided with a dependent portion 13 thatis integral with the strap-like member 14. A tongue 15 is provided atone end of the strap-like member and this tongue is adapted to bereceived in the slot 16 which extends parallel to and adjacent the otherend of the strap member 14.

This form of the invention is shown in installed position in Figs. 6 and7 wherein the presser member 18 actuates the snuffer 19 so that theflame of the lighter is positioned adjacent to and centrally of theflaring opening 12. In this form of the invention the operation is thesame as described with respect to Figs. 1 and 4.

In a further modification shown in Fig. 8 the cigarette holding means Cagain comprises a ring member 21 having a flaring opening 22. In thiscase ends of the straplike member 24 are provided with outstandingflanges 25 and 26. These extend in parallel planes and are apertured toreceive the bolts 27 and 28. Here again the attachment may be secured tothe lighter in any desired manner.

As described above, when the lighter is actuated by pressure upon themember 21, a flame projects upwardly from the lighter casing so as toextend immediately adjacent to the flaring opening 22 and centrallythereof.

It is to be understood that the attachment shown may be used in any formof pyrophoric cigarette lighter, that is, either those with the wicktype employing liquid fuel or those with the gas type in which the wickis eliminated and a stream of gas projects upwardly in a flame adjacentto the ring member.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a lighter has beenprovided that is exceedingly useful to blind persons since the same canbe easily employed by a blind person, and when so used will eliminateany possibility of burning the users fingers and will also facilitateuse of the lighter because the cigarette is placed in the ring memberand then the lighter is brought to a position adjacent the lips of theuser, and after the same has been engaged between the lips of the user,the lighter is operated.

It will be obvious that modifications may be made by those skilled inthe art Without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is mydesire to cover all such modifications as come within the scope of theinvention,

away

I claim: Apparatus of the character described comprising the combinationof a pyrophoric lighter with a detachable cigarette holding means, saidmeans consisting of a ring having an inner diameter corresponding tothat of .a conventional cigarette, said diameter being preciselydimensioned to slidingly receive a conventional cigarette by linecontact therewith and being adapted to hold the end of a cigaretteadjacent the flame which is produced by operation of said lighter, saidring having a thickness that is substantially less than the diameter ofa conventional cigarette, and being located closely adjacent to theflame of said lighter when the same is operated, said ring also beingmanually accessible at all times on both sides thereof and being rigidlysecured to the casing of said lighter in a fixed position, said ringhaving an annular interior bevelled surface, said bevelled surfaceflaring outwardly and away from said'lighter, whereby a tion a cigarettein said ring in proper spaced relationship with said flame. 4

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS MyersNov. 25, Schmitt June 3, Hrabal Mar. 7, Paige Dec. 23, Eggleston Mar. 3,

FOREIGN PATENTS France Dec. 21, France Dec. 6, France Mar. 15,

